Rumor Mill
by C2
Summary: Tommy and Kim have the perfect relationship, what happens when a rumor threatens all that. How will they handle it? Set before the originals leave, but after Tommy has his white ranger powers


Rumor Mill  
  
Rated: PG-13 for brief sexual content.  
  
Author's Note: I own nothing, only the thoughts in my head and Vanessa, who is Tommy's half sister.  
  
Time line: Tommy's been on the team for over a year. Him and Kim didn't start dating until he asked her to the dance when he lost his powers. He has his white ranger powers now. Tommy and Kim have been dating for just about 8 months. The original team is still there.  
  
On with the story:  
  
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Kim was nervous. If you think guys are the only ones who talk about their sex lives, you're wrong. Girls do too, and they are pretty detailed. She had been hearing what other girls were doing with their boyfriends and they had been dating for less time than her and Tommy had. She distinctly remembers a conversation from earlier in the day.  
  
~~~ Flashback: Gym Class Locker Room ~~~  
  
"Hey Kim, you've been dating Tommy for how long now?" One of her classmates asked, nonchalantly.  
  
"Ummmm, about 8 months. Why?" Kim replied, pretty sure she knew where this conversation was headed.  
  
"So, spill. What have you guys done?"  
  
"Kissed," Kim replied mater-of-factly.  
  
"And???" her classmates prompted. There was no way that they only kissed.  
  
"And nothing. We just make-out, go to movies, hang-out, and talk; you know, nothing more."  
  
"Oh really," all the girls were curious. They thought for certain that Kim and Tommy would be doing more, since they were. "And he's ok with this?" they prodded.  
  
"Yeah," Kim replied, and then she started to doubt her and Tommy's relationship. "I mean, he says he is." Kim's voice faltered. "His sister, Vanessa, said he doesn't like to rush things."  
  
"Kim, are you sure?" they knew they were pushing her buttons and they just had to share the rumor they heard from some of the guys. "According to the others, he wishes you'd put out more. Maybe not go all the way, but still Kim, you're a prude."  
  
"Oh" was all Kim could manage to reply. She quickly finished changing for class and ran out of the locker room.  
  
~~~ Present Time: Kim's School Locker ~~~  
  
Kim still looked as if she'd been crying and that made it worse. How could she talk to Tommy about this? He had been so patient with the kissing thing, and that took three months. After all she had been through he said he understood. He said he loved her and would wait forever if that's what it took. Had their few months of kissing changed all he had said?  
  
She closed her locker hoping to leave school without seeing Tommy. He always knew when something was bothering her. She needed time to think, to figure out what to say to Tommy, and if she was going to say anything at all. Maybe those girls in gym class were right. Maybe she was a prude.  
  
"Hey Kim," Tommy said from behind her. "Wait up, I'll walk with you."  
  
"Ummm, actually, I'm not going to the juice bar, I'm going home," Kim attempted to keep her voice calm and steady. She really didn't want to talk to Tommy just yet. She never turned to face him either. That was her mistake.  
  
"That's ok, I'd still like to walk with you," Tommy thought there was something wrong, he tried to reassure her that he loved her and be willing to sacrifice meeting up with the gang just to be by her side.  
  
"I'd really like to be alone right now Tommy," and Kim took off mid- sentence towards the exit.  
  
The move caught Tommy by surprise and he had to run to catch up with her. "Kim, what's wrong?" he asked when he was finally a step behind her.  
  
"Nothing," was her exasperated reply.  
  
They both kept walking, in silence, Tommy following just a step behind Kim. They had left the school and were starting to cross the park when Tommy became fed up with this. He gently laid his hand on her shoulder and they stopped walking. Neither one of them said a word.  
  
"Kim," he paused, waiting for a reply that wasn't coming. "Look at me please, Kim," he was worried, she could tell by the sound of his voice. "Please tell me what's wrong, what happened?" He waited, when there was still no movement or response from Kim he continued, "Is it something I did?" Kim remained silent, face hung. "Kim you are the most important thing to me, I swear. If I did anything I didn't mean to. Please talk to me." Tommy was desperate now. Concerned that something had happened to Kim at home again.  
  
She still hid her face, but since he sounded sincerely worried she decided to ask Tommy about what he supposedly said. She took a minute to steady her voice, then asked, without looking at Tommy, "Tell me what you guys discuss in the locker room?"  
  
"Usual guy stuff," then it dawned on Tommy, "BUT, I promise I don't kiss and tell." He had heard this rumor going around school that basically said he wished Kim wasn't so frigid. When Kim remained silent, he prompted, hoping she hadn't heard the rumor too, "Why, what do you think I've said?" Tommy took Kim's hand in his, "Because I wouldn't do that to you, to US. Kim if you don't believe me, ask Jason. You know we have PE together and we always work out together. Kim, I LOVE YOU."  
  
Kim didn't pull her hand away, although she was really tempted to. She could tell Tommy was hurting, that her actions were causing him pain. While what he said about her being a prude hurt, he was denying it. Tommy had never lied to Kim, so why now? On top of that, she knew many people in school would die to go out with either or them, and this wasn't the first time people had tried to split them up with a rumor. The problem was this one was too realistic. The others had been far fetched, like Tommy had a kid, or he was seeing someone behind her back. Kim knew right away those weren't true. But this one, this one hit too close to home. For the time being she was going to give him the benefit of the doubt until she could call Jason to confirm.  
  
"Ok Tommy, you can walk me home." She said none to sure of herself.  
  
They started walking again in silence. Tommy had noticed that Kim still wasn't looking at him. That she was still upset about something. He wondered if she had heard the rumor going around school. Tommy tried to set it straight but that was about as effective as fitting a square peg into a round hole. He hoped Kim hadn't heard the rumor; he wanted to tell her about it so she would be prepared for it come Monday. Since it was a pretty good bet that this rumor was what got Kim upset, Tommy figured she'd be calling Jason when she got home.  
  
"Are you going to call Jason when we get there?" he asked to confirm his suspicions.  
  
"I don't know," that was a lie, she did want to, but should she, with Tommy there. It was like saying to her boyfriend, 'I don't trust you.' She decided to see how he felt about it; the sooner she could call Jason the better. "You know I trust you, right? And I don't want to break you're trust, BUT I heard something from the girls in gym today and it really upset me."  
  
"I knew you were upset. Do you want to tell m me what they said?" Tommy was trying to be patient and loving, but he needed to know if this was about the stupid rumor.  
  
"In a nutshell? You think I'm a prude and you wished I'd 'put out' more." Kim eked out, on the verge of tears again. It still hurt to think that she was a prude. After all she had been through; she couldn't bring herself to do more than kiss. And even kissing took a while to get used to.  
  
Tommy was right; this was about the stupid rumor. Now how to convince his girlfriend that he hadn't said that, that he did love her and was ok that they were waiting. That HE wanted to wait until later to take the next step in their relationship. "And you think I'd say something like that?"  
  
"No, but it's just that they already think I'm a prude and well Vanessa said you and Kelli did more than kiss, so it made it all so much more believable. I want to believe you Tommy, I really do," Kim had to choke back a sob, she so desperately wanted to cry, but wouldn't allow herself. She already cried enough today.  
  
"Oh," was all he managed to say at first. Tommy thought for a moment. What was he going to tell his current girlfriend about his mistakes with his ex-girlfriend? Finally he managed to ask, "Are you mad that I never told you about me and Kelli?" Sure Tommy had told her he had an ex named Kelli, and that her and Kim's home life had been comparable. That's what helped their relationship get to the point it was now.  
  
"Yes, no, I don't know." She huffed out. Taking a deep breath she explained, "Well, yes because I thought we shared everything and no because it's none of my business. I know you don't compare me to Kelli."  
  
"You're right Kim, I don't compare you to Kelli, or any other girl for that matter," he paused unsure if to continue. After a moment he added, "I did make some major mistakes with Kelli, and I won't make them again, regardless of who I'm with."  
  
"Yeah, I know." They had reached Kim's house and she had unlocked the front door. "Why don't you come inside Tommy?" She trusted her boyfriend enough to invite him inside, he hadn't said she couldn't call Jason, and they did need to talk.  
  
Although Tommy already knew the answer, he wanted to reassure Kim that it was ok for her to call Jason, to straighten this whole thing out. So he asked, "So are you going to call Jason now?"  
  
"If you don't mind?" it was more of a question than a statement. Kim was nervous about losing Tommy's trust. How could he trust her if she didn't trust him?  
  
"Kim," Tommy began, holding her hands, "if you need that then call. I know you trust me and well, I guess I would do the same in your position."  
  
She finally looked him in the face and saw the truth in his eyes. He didn't say those things, he didn't start the rumor and he'd never ever hurt her. With her eyes shinning to express her gratitude, she said "Thanks" with a smile and hugged him, which he gladly returned.  
  
Kim didn't call Jason, she didn't need to. She knew Tommy hadn't said those things. There was no point in calling Jason, she just wanted to put this behind her, behind them, and move on with their relationship; even if it was 'only kissing.'  
  
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Authors Note: I have a sequel hand written where Tommy basically explains his past with Kelli to Kim and we find out why Rita picked Tommy to be the evil green ranger. In this fic, I'm going with the idea that Goldar and Scorpina are really people that "morph" into their bad identities. The human counterpoints are Joe Goldman for Goldar and Katelyn for Scorpina. If you are interested, and I need at least 10 people to be interested, I'll type it, otherwise I'll save my wrists. Smiles, "C" 


End file.
